BHOPAL Tourism, BHOPAL Travel Guide, Madhya Pradesh Tourism

About Bhopal - Bhopal Tourism

Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is slowly gaining popularity among tourists for its scenic beauty, greenery, and natural as well as manmade lakes. Bhopal holds an important position in the Madhya Pradesh tourism map for its historical monuments that are mix of Hindu and Islamic architecture. The top most traveller attraction of Bhopal is Taj-ul-Masjid, which is one of the largest mosque of Asia.

Bhopal shows an equal mixture of traditional old fashioned markets and modern urban planning. Tourists can also see high and noticeable Hindu and Islamic cultural influences in Bhopal's architecture. Bhopal's old city provide to travelers a glimpse of the Islamic culture and architecture influenced by the powerful Begums who ruled the city of Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. An aristocratic print of Islamic rule can be found amongst the old fashioned markets, and beautiful old mosques and palaces in the old city of Bhopal. Whereas Bhopal's new city reflects its modern architecture and urban planning with its well developed grand avenues, beautiful parks and gardens, and many other broad and wide buildings. Other than the old monuments and buildings of Bhopal, tourists will also like Van Vihar zoo, Indira Gandhi Manav Sanghralaya and Bharat Bhawan.

Bhopal History - Bhopal Tourism

Bhopal is said to have been founded by the Parmar King Bhoj with his capital at Dhar. Bhopal was earlier known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal') that is said to have been constructed by him to form the lakes surrounding the city. Bhopal's dynasties power rose and fell with time with the Parmars loosing power.

An Afghan soldier of the Orakzai tribe called Dost Mohammad Khan laid out the present city of Bhopal at the same site following the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. He brought with himself the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which can be found at Islam Nagar. Bhopal was the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India. Between 1819 and 1926, Bhopal was ruled by four women - Begums - unique in the royalty of those days. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler, who was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar Begum, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter, Shahjehan Begum. Sultan Jahan Begum was the last women ruler, who after 25 years of rule over Bhopal, abdicated in favour of her son, Hamidullah Khan. The succession of ‘Begums’ gave the city of Bhopal such innovations as waterworks, railways and a postal system. Several monuments still stand in the city of Bhopal as reminders of this glorious period in its history.

Bhopal was one of the last princely states to sign the 'Instrument of Accession' 1947. Though India achieved Independence in August 1947, the ruler of Bhopal acceded to India only on 1 May 1949. According to the States Reorganization Act of 1956, Bhopal state was integrated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Bhopal was declared as its capital. At present, Bhopal became the prime attraction and hub for tourists in Madhya Pradesh.